World Green Economy Organization : A New approach from the Arab world

Recently at the UN Climate Conference in Marrakech, the World Green Economy Organization was announced globally in presence of Dr Thani Bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, United Arab Emirates Minister of Climate Change and the Environment, Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Vice Chairman, Dubai Supreme Council of Energy, and Chairman of the board of the World Green Economy Organisation (WGEO) and Helen Clark, Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

By Houmi Ahamed-Mikidache

Towards a green economy

“The World Green Economy Organization aims to support the implementation of the Paris Agreement and increase awareness on climate change to enhance the shift towards a green economy and a low carbon economy that is climate-resilient, resource-efficient, and socially inclusive,” said in Morocco Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Vice Chairman, Dubai Supreme Council of Energy, and Chairman of the board of the World Green Economy Organisation (WGEO), during the global launch of the World Green Economy Organization in Marrakech (Morocco).

“ Launching WGEO at this time reflects the relentless efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals outlined in the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development,” he added .

After the October 2016 third World Green Economy Summit in Dubai, the 22nd session of the Conference of the Parties, COP 22, in Marrakesh, Morocco, was an opportunity for the Arab world to show its willing to diversify its economy and also a way to promote its willing to work with all countries around the world towards a green economy.

Dubai Plans

Last June, Mr Al Tayer, announced in Dubai that his country will build within the next five years a largest Concentrated Solar Power (CPS) which will generate 1,000 megawatts (MW) of power by 2030 as part of the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy to generate 75 per cent of Dubai’s power from clean energy by 2050.

This solar project could reduce more than 6.5 million tonnes of CO2. It can therefore meet its pledges linked to the Paris Agreement : keep global warming temperatures below 2°C in a long term goal, he added.

The project will even surpass the existing world’s largest CPS tower in Morocco that has a power generating capacity of 150MW, senior energy officials said.

How the World Green Economy Organization will work?

According to Mr Al Tayer, the World Green Economy Organization, based in Dubai, will play an instrumental role in mitigating climate change. It will serves as a mechanism for adaptation and mitigation to climate change by generating new solutions for sustainable energy, water and other environmental challenges. How ? “by lowering the risk of green economy investments and bridging the gaps between countries through international cooperation in innovation, technology and finance,” he explained. The World Green Economy Organization is positioning itself as a major point of reference for research and studies.

“Sharing knowledge will help to overcome our common challenges,” explained Dr Thani Bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, United Arab Emirates Minister of Climate Change and the Environment.

This initiative supported by Dubai Government in cooperation and partnership of UNDP and other international organizations “is an important source of assistance to all countries to move towards a low carbon economy,” said Helen Clark, Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). UNDP will help the World Green Economy Organization build up capacity in the next two years, by involving all stakeholders, such as the private sector, civil society.

Based in Paris, Houmi Ahamed- Mikidache is the founder and editor in chief of Era Environnement. She manages two teams of journalists based in Africa who write on climate change and sustainable development. She is also a media trainer.